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ENGAGED EXPERIENCES NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT BALANCING ACT
YOUR ONE-STOP GUIDE TO DRIVE THE CASE FOR INVESTING IN THE MENA MAKING THE BEST OF BEING PARTNERS
EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING IN 2020 REGION HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER IN LIFE AND IN BUSINESS
ADAPT
FIRST-MOVER AND
ADVANTAGE EVOLVE
H.E. MARIAM THREE WAYS YOUR
BINT MOHAMMED CORPORATE CAN START
DEVELOPING A MORE
AGILE WORK CULTURE
SAEED HAREB
ALMHEIRI
THE FIRST-EVER
MINISTER OF STATE
FOR FOOD SECURITY
IN THE UAE
(AND THE WORLD)
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CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2020
20
H.E. Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri
20 60 46 66
INNOVATOR START IT UP ‘TREPONOMICS START IT UP
FIRST-MOVER ADVANTAGE ECOSYSTEM PRO ECOSYSTEM
H.E. Mariam bint No time like the present Adapt and evolve Boosting an ecosystem
Mohammed Saeed Hareb The case for investing in Youness Yaghcha, NOW Money co-founder
Almheiri the MENA region has never Partnership Manager at Ian Dillon on why we need
In conversation with the been stronger, says Youssef Seedstars, lists three ways Western venture capital
first-ever Minister of State Haidar, founder and CEO your corporate can start firms in the Middle
for Food Security in the UAE of StonePine Capital developing a more agile East entrepreneurial
(and the world). Partners. work culture. landscape.
26 42
INNOVATOR CULTURE
AHEAD OF THE CURVE BUSINESS UNUSUAL
IMAGES COURTESY UAE FOOD SECURITY OFFICE | UAE VISION 2021
Alliances for Global Creative concepts
Sustainability founder Having launched
and CEO Sheikha Shamma businesses like Bukhash
bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Brothers, Buka, and Chalk,
Nahyan: “It is our collective Emirati serial entrepreneur
duty to lead responsibly to Anas Bukhash is definitely
create a better world for clued in to the charms of
future generations.” being one’s own boss.
61
UAE Vision 2021
February 2020 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / 3
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CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2020
74 Fodel, a last-mile delivery tech startup founded by Soumia Benturquia, has been allocated
a part of the US$100 million technology fund of Dubai Cultiv8 Investments Limited.
38 72
CULTURE TREPONOMICS
TRAPPINGS MARKETING
Tapping into trends Engaged experiences
Gary Sweeney, Brand and Stephen George, founder
Style Director at Ascots & and CEO of Surkus,
Chapels, offers a primer presents a one-stop guide
on how you can go about to drive experiential
decoding the new workplace marketing in 2020
dress code. (for businesses of any size).
58 51
68 78 TREPONOMICS TECH
MONEY START IT UP SKILLSET THE FIX
STARTUP FINANCE Q&A Facilitating innovation Driving change
Frontrunners Eye on the future Ideation Labs founder (through tech)
Laith Al-Qasem, CEO of the Marc Ibrahim and Joseph Dipika Mallya on how design Sabine Holl, IBM’s Vice
Innovative Startups and Hajjar are dreaming big as thinking can help foster an President Technical Sales
SMEs Fund, explains how the co-founders of Ashghali, entrepreneurial mindset. and Chief Technology Officer
you can become a good lead an online marketplace for IBM Middle East and
investor for a startup. connecting prospective 50 Africa, on empowering
clients with local START IT UP women to innovate without
56 professionals in Lebanon. ECOSYSTEM restrictions.
‘TREPONOMICS The changing face of
MARKETING 40 business in the Middle East 67
The secret to a successful CULTURE Blend Network Chief TREPONOMICS
business LIFE Strategy Officer Roxana PRO
[THE HOW-TO] Balancing act Mohammadian-Molina Hiring (and managing) talent
Priyanka Mittal, Director Concerto TIC’s Mihaela takes a look at the ways in as you scale
at KRBL Limited, on how Nina and Alex Gheordanescu which forward-thinking Danielle Blizzard, Director at
you can go about building a on making the best of being governments are fostering leap9, lists six tips to create
customer-centric strategy partners in life and in economic development in the a winning talent strategy for
for your enterprise. business. MENA region. your growing enterprise.
40
Concerto TIC’s Mihaela Nina
and Alex Gheordanescu on
making the best of being
partners in life and in business
12 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / February 2020MIDDLE EAST
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Laith Al-Qasem Youssef Haidar Mihaela Nina Opinions expressed are solely those of the contributors.
Danielle Blizzard Sabine Holl Bianca Riley Entrepreneur Middle East and all subsidiary publications in the
MENA region are officially licensed exclusively to BNC Publishing
Fida Chaaban Sarah Jones Gary Sweeney
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Ian Dillon Dipika Mallya Hanna VanKuiken No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any
Stephen George Priyanka Mittal Youness Yaghcha form or by any means without written permission of the publisher.
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PROCESS BLACK 100%EDITOR'S NOTE
MARCH TO THE BEAT OF YOUR OWN DRUM
Only you should dictate how your life should be lived
The Possibilities Project is a free handbook built in offering insights and information that can help
by long-time friends of Entrepreneur Middle East, guide young people as they go about deciding
PDSi Managing Director Dawn Metcalfe and PDSi on their careers and, indeed, lives. Ahead of
Head of Communication and Engagement Sarah the book’s launch at the Emirates Airline Festival
(Hay) Bahar, aimed at helping students in the of Literature in Dubai in February, the creators
UAE (and anywhere else, really) “on a journey of The Possibilities Project have graciously
of self-discovery, independence, and career allowed me to publish my contribution to it in
success.” I was very glad to be asked to be a Entrepreneur Middle East as well, which I have
contributor for the same, which sees me join the done so in lieu of my editor’s note this month.
likes of UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Do check it out, and as always, let me know
Development H.E. Noura Al Kaabi, Young Arab your thoughts by tweeting at me on @thisisaby.
Leaders Chairperson Muna Al Gurg, and others thepossibilitiesproject.co
my biggest pet peeves when growing At the time, I may have dreamt of
up was the multitude of people who following through on my passion for
felt it was completely okay for them writing into a career in the journalism
to impose their views and opinions and media space, but almost everyone
on me, and go on to essentially tell me around me –a range of people that
what to do with my life- and here I am includes (perhaps) well-meaning but
doing almost exactly the same thing to overbearing teachers, to (maybe)
a whole new generation. kindly but clueless relatives of mine-
So, with that in mind, I want to lay told me, in no uncertain terms, that
down some ground rules to follow as this was absolutely not the right way
you read the thoughts penned by me forward for someone like me.
and my fellow contributors in this Their reasons for saying so were
book: the ideas and insights that we varied. One popular contention made
profess to have are a result of the by the adults around me was that a
experiences we’ve had over the course career in the media world wouldn’t be
of our lives so far, and while there may easy, and that journalists aren’t paid
well be some pointers and lessons well, and as such, those of us in this
that you can glean from them, they field would be leading tough and ardu-
shouldn’t at all be seen as directives ous lives as a result. Another common
for how all of you should live your rejoinder I got when I said I wanted
A
s someone who’s learned lives. Because I believe that what you to be a writer or a journalist was that
to always be a little do with your lives is something only going down such a career path would
skeptical about career you should get to decide on- as cliché mean that I, as a student who got good
advice that I get from as it may sound, you should be march- grades at school, would be somehow
people around me, there ing to the beat of your own drum. wasting the intellect and skillsets I
is a certain irony in the I say this with a lot of confidence was blessed with if I chose this par-
fact that I find myself now now, but I must admit that such a ticular profession.
contributing to this book, which has mindset was not something I could Looking back on all of this now, I’m
been billed as “a young person’s guide claim to have during my time as a stu- pretty certain that all of the people
to career success.” After all, one of dent in the UAE in the early 2000s. who told me the above things didn’t
16 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / February 2020ONLY YOU SHOULD DICTATE HOW YOUR LIFE SHOULD BE LIVED
do so with any particular malicious "AT THE TIME THOUGH, GIVEN THE OVERWHELMINGLY NEGATIVE
intent; I feel now that their view of
the world was just too myopic to see
FEEDBACK I GOT TO MY PREFERRED CAREER CHOICE, I PUT
the future I was dreaming of for my- AWAY THE DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS I HAD MADE FOR MYSELF,
self. For instance, sure, I will admit to AND RELUCTANTLY GOT STARTED ON WHAT SEEMED LIKE A
the notion that a journalist’s job is a MORE CONVENTIONAL VOCATIONAL PATH."
tough one- but then again, is there any
job out there that’s a joyride all the
time? Besides, just as the media sec- enough to stop me from thinking that So, I quit my job, got a master’s degree
tor has several challenges specific to I was wasting away my life in this in journalism from Columbia Uni-
it, every other industry has its own set role. I was upset and unhappy, and versity in New York, and then kicked
of particular trials and tribulations- I soon found myself in the throes of off my career in the media space. I
but that doesn’t mean these fields a quarter-life crisis, in which I kept had essentially been threatened that
cannot be worthwhile and fulfilling to wondering about how different life working in journalism would see my
those who have a passion for it. could have been, had I followed my life upend itself, and I’ll admit here
As for the purported waste of my ambition to be a journalist all those this was exactly what happened, and
talents: well, today, I could make a years ago. And that’s how a new idea I could go on and on about all of the
concerted argument for why the media sprung to my mind: “Well, why don’t I twists and turns I had to deal with as I
sector offers a better workout for a try to become a journalist now?” made my way through this field. While
person’s mind than perhaps any other When I started to tell people that I I am today privileged and proud to be
industry- but hey, I didn’t know then was thinking about changing careers, at the helm of a publication like Entre-
what I do now. At the time though, most of them told me it was a ridicu- preneur Middle East, I’ll freely admit
given the overwhelmingly negative lous idea- from their perspective, I that it has not been an easy ride to get
feedback I got to my preferred career had a good job, a good salary, a good here. But here’s the thing: when you’re
choice, I put away the dreams and way of life even, and so, they couldn’t running after a goal that you have set
aspirations I had made for myself, get behind why I’d want to throw all for yourself, you somehow naturally
and reluctantly got started on what of that away to start up a career in find the will to navigate all of the bar-
seemed like a more conventional a totally new industry. They’d also riers that come along the way.
vocational path, which pretty much point out that I had managed to find a In fact, I found out that I didn’t re-
everyone around me said would be certain degree of success in my career ally mind any of the hurdles that were
better for me and my future. so far, and that I should be mindful of in my path- and that was because it
So, I finished school, and then went the fact that there was no guarantee was, quite simply, my path. When you
on to college in India for four years to that I’d be able to carve out something decide to be the architect of your own
earn a bachelor’s degree in electron- similar in the media space. Once life, you decide how your world looks
ics and communication engineering. again, I found myself finding it hard to like, and while this is easier said than
Shortly after I graduated, I was hired get validation for my ambition. done, my experiences have taught me
by Accenture as a software program- But this time around, I didn’t let that doing so is certainly worth the ef-
mer, and that led me to work out the naysayers squash my dreams. I fort. At the end of the day, remember
of offices in Mumbai, London, and had tried to do things the way they that the only person who should be
New York over the course of almost told me, and that was obviously not dictating how your life should be lived
five years. As I thus approached my working out for me- so, now, I wanted is you. And that’s something I took a
10-year anniversary of getting out of to do things as I deemed fit. As for while to learn- here’s hoping you don’t
school and onto this particular career the risk of throwing away everything take as long.
path I was on, it did seem like the job I had achieved so far for something
I had was -both literally and figura- that may very well not pan out at all,
tively- taking me places. I decided that it’d be better for me to
But while that may well have been have tried and failed, rather than not
the perception from the outside, the trying at all. Plus, there was the inher-
truth was that I was deeply unsatis- ent satisfaction in the fact that I was
fied with how my life was going. Sure, calling the shots now. I was deciding
I was good at my job, and yes, I was what I wanted to do with my life, and
climbing up the career ladder- but I if I did stumble and fall doing that, I Aby Sam Thomas
had simply no interest in what I was was okay with that- it was definitely Editor in Chief
doing, and as such, the perks of being better than being stuck in a life that @thisisaby
a “senior software engineer” weren’t was, in a way, imposed on me. aby@bncpublishing.net
February 2020 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / 17IN THE LOOP
competition with Expo 2020
Dubai, we are creating more
opportunities and benefits
for participating startups
and positioning Dubai as in-
novation leader.”
This year’s edition of the
competition was launched
in January at a ceremony
attended by Dubai Chamber
officials, previous competi-
tion winners and contest-
ants, members of the local
startup community, and
representatives from Expo
2020 Dubai and DP World.
A scene from the launch of the fifth cycle of the Dubai Smartpreneur Competition Following the submission
deadline, entries will be
Innovators welcome
evaluated and shortlisted
with the selected candidates
then qualifying for the train-
ing phase of the competition.
Dubai Startup Hub invites entries for the fifth cycle The top 50 startups will also
of its Dubai Smartpreneur Competition get to participate in a four-
day bootcamp, and the top
10 startups will have the op-
portunity to exhibit at Expo
D
ubai Startup Hub, The Dubai Smartpreneur which has supported Dubai 2020 Dubai to meet with
the entrepreneur- Competition awards the top Chamber’s comprehensive potential investors and busi-
ship arm of Dubai three winners a combined entrepreneurship strategy of ness partners. Winners will
Chamber of Com- total of AED150,000 in empowering entrepreneurs be announced at an awards
merce and Indus- cash prizes, in addition to and providing them with the ceremony in April 2020.
try, has launched a startup support package, knowledge and tools they Last year’s winners includ-
the fifth cycle of its Dubai mentorship opportunities, need to thrive and grow. ed Denarii Cash, a mobile
Smartpreneur Competition, access to overseas trade mis- application helping overseas
which seeks submissions sions, and Dubai Chamber “BY ALIGNING THIS workers to send money
from startups offering solu- events and trainings. YEAR’S COMPETITION to their home countries
WITH EXPO 2020 DUBAI,
tions related to the Expo To be eligible to partici- WE ARE CREATING claimed the first place prize,
2020 Dubai sub-themes of pate, a startup company’s MORE OPPORTUNITIES Arabee, a high specification
opportunity, mobility, and product or service must have AND BENEFITS FOR platform providing an online
sustainability. launched no earlier than PARTICIPATING STARTUPS multi-format Arabic lan-
Open to all entrepreneurs 2017, and be either based AND POSITIONING DUBAI guage program, and Xpence,
in the UAE and abroad, the in, or operate in, the UAE. AS INNOVATION LEADER.” a digital-only intelligent
competition gives founders The startup needs to have a business bank account de-
an opportunity to become minimum viable product and More than 1,600 smart signed by entrepreneurs for
part of Dubai Government’s applicants must be 21 years business ideas have been entrepreneurs.
strategy to elevate the of age or older. Startups submitted over the last four Dubai Chamber launched
city into a global platform must submit their entries in cycles of the competition Dubai Startup Hub in 2016
for innovative startups. English through the Dubai with an increasing number as an online platform to con-
This year’s edition is also Startup Hub website by the of international submis- nect startups, entrepreneurs,
in line with the vision of February 26 deadline. sions, he said, reflecting developers, venture capital-
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed H.E. Hisham Al Shirawi, Dubai’s status as a magnet ists and students, enabling
bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 2nd Vice Chairman of Dubai from promising startups. them to learn about new op-
IMAGE COURTESY DUBAI STARTUP HUB
Vice President and Prime Chamber, said in a statement “Startups are a key source of portunities and create new
Minister of the UAE and that the annual competi- innovation in Dubai as they partnerships that stimulate
Ruler of Dubai, to transform tion has been one of Dubai bring cutting-edge solutions economic growth.
the Emirate into one of the Startup Hub’s most suc- to the market,” Al Shirawi dubaichamber.com/dubaistartuphub/
world’s smartest cities. cessful initiatives to date, said. “By aligning this year’s smartpreneur
18 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / February 2020LONDON
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+971 4 365 7700 +971 50 558 2853INNOVATOR
FIRST-MOVER
ADVANTAGE
H.E. MARIAM BINT MOHAMMED
SAEED HAREB ALMHEIRI
The first-ever Minister of State for Food Security
in the UAE (and the world) b y A B Y S A M T H O M A S
O
ver the course of my conversation with H.E. Mariam
bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri at Emirates
Towers in Dubai in January, there were a few traits
about the UAE Minister of State for Food Security
that especially stood out. For starters, Almheiri has
an extremely amiable personality. Besides putting me
at ease almost as soon as I met her, this resulted in
a free-flowing conversation that had her sharing not
just facts and figures relating to the UAE Food Security
Office that she leads, but also a lot of personal insights
and anecdotes from her life and career so far. Indeed,
it became quite apparent that Almheiri’s investment
in the work that she does today has been largely driven by the values and
principles that her parents had inculcated in her from a young age. A few
examples? She has essentially inherited her Emirati father’s passion for
the environment, which would explain her uninhibited desire to protect and
safeguard it today, while her German mother, who belonged to a farming
family, instilled in her a deep-rooted respect and regard for how food is
grown and made. Besides shaping her to be the person she is today, the
lessons Almheiri were taught then have proved to be especially pertinent
for her current work with the government, where her mandate for food
security is defined as “enabling all citizens and residents of the UAE to have
access to healthy, safe, nutritious and sufficient food, at reasonable prices
in all circumstances, including emergencies and crisis.” >>>
20 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / January 2020FIRST-MOVER ADVANTAGE | H.E. MARIAM BINT MOHAMMED SAEED HAREB ALMHEIRI
H.E. Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri
February 2020 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / 21INNOVATOR
aim for number one by 2051,”
she reveals. “So, this is our
roadmap.” This is thus what
has been laid out in the UAE’s
National Strategy for Food
Security, which Almheiri had
presented in November 2018.
In it, the UAE Food Security
Office had listed 38 initiatives
it will embark on to realize five
strategic goals, which include
facilitating global agri-busi-
ness trade and diversifying
international food sources,
enhancing sustainable
technology-enabled domestic
food supply across the value
chain, reducing food loss and
waste, sustaining food safety
and improving nutritional
intake, and, finally, enhancing
capacity to respond to food
security risks and crises.
At first glance, all of the
aforementioned aspects of
H.E. Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri with H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum food security might seem like
things that are, well, high-
level, and, as such, not really
“it's not just about growing food. It's about nutrition. affect regular people like you
It's about strategic storage. It's about food waste. and me; however, it’s the op-
posite that is actually true,
It's about having emergency plans in place.” says Almheiri. She points out
that the UAE has been built as
a hub for food trade, with the
As the first person ever ap- strategic storage. It's about Almheiri and her team at the country currently importing
pointed to such a ministerial food waste. It's about having UAE Food Security Office have 90% of its food; however,
post in the UAE -and in the emergency plans in place. So, been realizing lately. When with the way the global land-
world- Almheiri is navigating there's so much in the whole Almheiri was appointed to scape has been changing in
unchartered territories; yet, food security domain- there her role in 2017, the UAE was the recent past, it can be risky
she claims that this has been is a clear definition, and it’s ranked 33rd on the Global for a nation to place such a
more of a blessing for her than that the country’s citizens Food Security Index, an an- high dependence on external
anything else. “Being the first [should] have access to safe, nual report that assesses this sources for sustenance in the
minister responsible for this sufficient, nutritious food at domain on “the core issues long run. “As an example,
particular file called food se- affordable prices, at all times.” of affordability, availability, we know that population is
curity, it actually empowered As for the fact that the UAE and quality” in 113 countries on the rise globally,” Alm-
me a lot,” she says. “Because government was being a global around the world. A year later, heiri explains. “We're heading
no one else had that [role], forerunner in creating (and the UAE moved up to the 31st towards nine billion, which
but everyone was talking appointing her to) this post place, and in December last means we will need more
about it. Every minister of ag- that seeks to establish the year, the country made a ten- food [to feed them all]- some
riculture, every minister that country as “a world-leading place leap to be ranked 21st. 50% more food in the next 10
deals with food, is actually hub in innovation-driven food Now, while this by itself is an years. Traditional agriculture
IMAGES COURTESY UAE FOOD SECURITY OFFICE
dealing with food security. But security,” Almheiri puts it impressive showcase of the is already at its limits in terms
we were actually going right down to yet another instance efforts that the UAE has been of land, in terms of water;
to the specifics, and ensuring of their visionary outlook for making in this arena, Almheiri climate change is making it
that we're taking the holistic the country and its future. makes it clear that she and her even harder. So, you've got
approach. Because it's not And the results of this team have bigger goals to real- population rising fast, and
just about
Oweis Zahran, foundergrowing food.
and Chairman, It's
OWS Auto farsighted approach are show- ize. “Our aim is to be among you've got traditional agricul-
about nutrition. It's about ing in the achievements that the top 10 by 2021, and then ture not being able to cope,
22 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / February 2020FIRST-MOVER ADVANTAGE | H.E. MARIAM BINT MOHAMMED SAEED HAREB ALMHEIRI
and so, a food gap is starting to grow. At a United Nations study that had found the UAE Food Security Office’s efforts
the same time, we have a lot of distribu- that a third of the food being produced in this regard can be seen in it teaming
tion problems, like, there is enough food globally is going to waste. up with Tamkeen (an Abu Dhabi-based
for all, but there's still over 800 million With factors like these at play, the need company mandated to deliver projects
people hungry. And then on the other for a food security strategy thus becomes to meet the UAE’s vision of knowledge-
extreme, there are millions who are now more apparent, and for the UAE, this is based development) to run The Foodtech
obese, or have heart disease, so, we’ve especially important, so that, as Almheiri Challenge. With US$1 million worth of
got a big distribution problem as well.” puts it, “we’re not just food secure now, prizes up for grabs, The Foodtech Chal-
At the same time, people’s attitudes but also in the future.” Of course, this lenge, which kicked off in September last
toward food in general are needing a doesn’t mean that the UAE is going to be year, is a global competition that is look-
correction as well- Almheiri highlights halting its food imports any time soon; ing for “innovative solutions across the
however, the nation is seeking to diver- food value chain.” With the deadline for
sify its sources for it, and that involves entries slated for mid-February, Almheiri
making use of technology to grow food reveals that the contest, which has been
“we basically want to go within the country as well. “So, with inviting ideas relating to food produc-
from being a hub of food this National Food Security Strategy, tion, food distribution, or food waste
trade, to becoming a hub of we basically want to go from being a management, has so far attracted more
hub of food trade, to becoming a hub of than 1,000 submissions from around
knowledge about food and knowledge about food and food innova- the world, with the winners set to be
food innovations.” tions,” Almheiri says. One example of declared in April this year. >>>
H.E. Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri
February 2020 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / 23INNOVATOR
H.E. Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri
sure we're already gaining this operating anywhere in the UAE
“Getting entrepreneurs excited knowledge, we're pushing the in this sector. Besides allowing
about this [industry] is very boundaries on technology,
we're pushing the boundaries
for a number of agricultural
activities to be consolidated
important, and I think it’s our on research and development,
in order to use technology to
under a single banner, this li-
cense also afforded companies
responsibility to devise an start growing food in the UAE
in a more efficient manner.”
cost savings of up to 60%- a
significant impact when you
ecosystem for them to actually Of course, it’s one thing for consider that these are often
come, invest money, and start.” a country to say it welcomes
innovations; it’s another thing
young enterprises operating
in a nascent industry. “Get-
altogether for it to house an ting entrepreneurs excited
ecosystem that allows such about this [industry] is very
Almheiri is visibly excited able us and the resources that ideas to develop and grow. To important, and I think it’s our
about The Foodtech Challenge, we have to focus on technology her credit, Almheiri seems responsibility to devise an
and it’s easy to see that the and innovation when it comes to be well aware of this, and ecosystem for them to actually
influx of entrepreneurial ideas to growing food. I’m sure you that would explain why she come, invest money, and start,”
the competition will bring in have heard of meat grown in a and her team have made it a Almheiri says. “And if they
ties into her dream of hav- lab, 3D-printing of food, etc.- priority to remove roadblocks see that there is a journey that
ing the UAE become a hub for these are all food innovations that businesses in this space they can take, and that there
food innovations. While the that we believe, if we focus on often have to face in the UAE. are opportunities for them,
UAE may not house the most them, then we could become An example of this would be then it will get them even more
appropriate environment for a hub of knowledge when in the ten initiatives the UAE excited.”
growing food per se, Almheiri it comes to food, especially Food Security Office launched It is at this point in our
believes that there are still in environments such as we in partnership with the Gov- conversation that I felt that
several opportunities the have. We believe that many ernment Accelerators program Almheiri truly understands
country presents in this space. countries will have this kind to boost the country’s agtech what it’s like to be an entre-
“We need to look at the posi- of environment in the near industry, of which one was the preneur, and so I’m elated to
tive side,”
Oweis Zahran, foundershe
andsays. “The
Chairman, infra-
OWS Auto future- it's already happen- development of a unified agri- find out that she actually has
structure we’ve built will en- ing. And so, we want to make cultural license for enterprises first-hand experience in this
24 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / February 2020FIRST-MOVER ADVANTAGE | H.E. MARIAM BINT MOHAMMED SAEED HAREB ALMHEIRI
arena. After completing her bachelor’s "WE'RE PUSHING THE WATCH THIS SPACE
and master’s degrees in mechanical engi- BOUNDARIES ON TECHNOLOGY, Startups around the world are
neering in Germany, Almheiri had kick-
WE'RE PUSHING THE going big on food security
started her career by working there as
well, following which she returned to the
BOUNDARIES ON RESEARCH
UAE and started working with the Emir- AND DEVELOPMENT, IN ORDER
ates Marine Environmental Group. That TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO START
led on to her starting work with the UAE GROWING FOOD IN THE UAE IN
government- prior to her appointment A MORE EFFICIENT MANNER."
as the Minister of Food Security, she was
the Assistant Undersecretary for Water
Resources and Nature Conservation Af- we have are, say, always complaining, and
fairs at the Ministry of Climate Change you don't feel good around them any-
and Environment. But in the middle of all more. Try and minimize how much time
this, Almheiri had set out on a number you spend with these people. Try and be
of entrepreneurial outings of her own as with people if you learn from them, if you
well- she’s launched and run enterprises get inspired by them. I think that's a big
in sectors as varied as fitness, mainte- lesson I learned- that's a personal and
nance, and waste management, which a work lesson as well. Like, if my team
she eventually ended up shutting down were not inspired by me, then how are Food security has been called one
when her work in the government grew. they going to be motivated? So, this is of the major emerging challenges
Having said that, Almheiri acknowl- something that I see as being really im- in the world today, and that’d
edges learning a lot in her time as an en- portant.” Almheiri is also insistent about explain why it has become one
trepreneur, with these lessons including the importance of not getting complacent of the hottest sectors in Silicon
everything from learning to work with in one’s careers- and that’s especially Valley right now. Led by ambitious
different kinds of people, to realizing the valuable advice to take to heart if you’re entrepreneurs, there has been
importance of market access when you’re an entrepreneur. “Be a little bit of a risk- a boom in the food tech startup
a fledging startup in a well-established taker,” she says. “If you don’t ever go out space since Beyond Meat
industry. of your comfort zone, you’ll never learn. celebrated the most successful
When asked about advice she’d give en- Even if you fail, just get up and try again. IPO of 2019. While the West has
trepreneurs today, Almheiri replied with Our assets are our minds, and the knowl- been seeing a slew of innovations
a nod to the importance of having the edge we have there.” It’s clear that this and startups making headlines
right people around you as you go about is a principle that Almheiri is personally in this space (think everyone
chasing your dream. “Surround yourself taking to heart as the UAE Minister of from Beyond Meat to Impossible
with people who inspire you, and people Food Security, given the emphasis she Foods), the Middle East seems to
who bring positive feeling,” Almheiri and her team are putting in making the have only just embarked on this
says. “I think this is really important. I country a hub for knowledge and innova- road- but the potential for growth
always feel when we were young, we find tion- and it’s safe to say that this ethos is is definitely there in this region.
our friends who like the same things. But something that can be put to good use in An added benefit? With a reduced
then as we get older, some of the friends our lives and careers as well. environmental impact in production
phases, including the use of less
resources and arable land, these
startups are also addressing the
climate crisis. Here are some of the
companies that are currently in the
news for tackling issues around
food security:
Beyond Meat beyondmeat.com
Impossible Foods impossiblefoods.com
JUST ju.st
Miyoko’s miyokos.com
Memphis Meats memphismeats.com
BlueNalu bluenalu.com
Clara Foods clarafoods.com
Mosa Meat mosameat.com
Aleph Farms aleph-farms.com
Finless Foods finlessfoods.com
H.E. Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri at the Youth 4 Sustainability Hub
February 2020 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / 25INNOVATOR
AHEAD OF THE CURVE
ALLIANCES FOR GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY FOUNDER AND CEO
SHEIKHA SHAMMA BINT SULTAN
BIN KHALIFA AL NAHYAN
“It is our collective duty to lead responsibly
to create a better world for future generations.”
by ABY SAM THOMAS
A
s the great granddaughter of the late H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding
father of the UAE, Alliances for Global Sustainability CEO Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin
Khalifa Al Nahyan doesn’t have to look too far from her own family when it comes to seeking
inspiration for her work in the environmental domain.
Consider, for instance, her visionary great grandfather’s words in 1998, which he said on
the occasion of the UAE’s first Environment Day: “We cherish our environment, because it
is an integral part of our country, our history, and our heritage. On land and in the sea, our
forefathers lived and survived in this environment. They were able to do so only because
they recognized the need to conserve it, to take from it only what they needed to live, and to preserve it
for succeeding generations. With God’s will, we shall continue to work to protect our environment and our
wildlife, as did our forefathers before us. It is a duty, and, if we fail, our children, rightly, will reproach us for
squandering an essential part of their inheritance, and of our heritage.”
26 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / February 2020AHEAD OF THE CURVE |SHEIKHA SHAMMA BINT SULTAN BIN KHALIFA AL NAHYAN
ing in this space, where she aims to have
different entities work together to realize
outcomes that benefit us all. An example
of this would be the recent memorandum
of understanding that was signed between
Alliances for Global Sustainability and
the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and
Environment with Abu Dhabi-based de-
veloper Imkan to announce The Guardians
Initiative, which has the real estate player
pledging “to safeguard, protect and pre-
serve Abu Dhabi’s diverse heritage, nature,
wildlife and marine environments.”
While efforts like the above seek to affect
change on a macro sale, Sheikha Shamma
It's easy to see that these lines by Sheikh of Alliances for Global Sustainability. makes it clear that there’s a lot that one
Zayed have had an indelible impact on “When we look at the resources of the can do (and lead) from a more personal
Sheikha Shamma, especially when you world, we are depleting them faster than level as well. “When I talk about leader-
consider her contribution to the quotation we can replenish them,” she noted. “We ship, I’m not waiting for someone to lead,”
wall at the Møller Institute at Churchill also have a growing population, and that she explained. “I’m encouraging everyone
College, Cambridge in the UK, which goes: equates to an unimaginable scenario.” to take that initiative, because, everyone,
“It is our collective duty to lead respon- Her personal interest in the sustainability no matter how small they think they are
sibly to create a better world for future domain is thus what led her to her work- in the grand scheme of things, they do
generations.” As the youngest person to have an impact on the planet. And if they
have been quoted on this particular wall are more responsible, then it makes the
(her words are showcased alongside those “WHEN WE LOOK AT THE world a better place for generations to
by Winston Churchill, Michelle Obama, RESOURCES OF THE WORLD, come.” And that, in effect, sums up what
and others), Sheikha Shamma, who has a WE ARE DEPLETING THEM is Sheikha Shamma’s hope for the future.
master’s degree in sustainable leadership “I’d like to see a more sustainable world,
from Cambridge University, was chosen
FASTER THAN WE CAN a world where we’ve moved from a linear
for this particular honor in July last year REPLENISH THEM. WE ALSO economy to a circular economy,” she said.
on account of her achievements as both a HAVE A GROWING POPULATION, “A world where our children will have the
businesswoman and a philanthropist. AND THAT EQUATES TO AN resources and the environmental privileges
After all, besides her leadership of UNIMAGINABLE SCENARIO.” we’ve had, if not more.”
Alliances for Global Sustainability (a for-
profit venture that facilitates projects and
partnerships across various entities and
sectors that are in line with the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goals),
Sheikha Shamma is also the founder of
a charitable foundation called Circle of
Hope, which has run initiatives like Wanna
Read? (this drive saw over 7,000 books
placed for children in hospitals in the
UAE), Beacon of Hope (this program saw
solar light resource kits supplied to chil-
dren in developing countries), and More
Equity (which was formerly called Women
Empowerment and Equality Board, and is
IMAGE COURTESY ALLIANCES FOR GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY
aimed at promoting gender balance and
empowering women in the UAE’s work-
places), among others.
I got to have a quick chat with Sheikha
Shamma at the 2019 Sharjah Entrepre-
neurship Festival (where she was one of
the headline speakers), and that’s when
UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment H.E. Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi with Imkan CEO Walid El Hindi
she told me about her motivations behind on the occasion of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and Alliances for Global Sustainability signing a
the work she does as the founder and CEO memorandum of understanding with Imkan to announce The Guardians’ Initiative.
February 2020 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / 27presented by
ROUND TABLE
Dr. Alia Al Serkal, Vice President,
People Learning and Growth, du
HOW ( AND WHY ) "AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S ABOUT
EQUALITY, MAKING SURE EVERYONE
HAS EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES,
BUSINESSES
REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND.”
1. Set out to hire female leaders
SHOULD CHAMPION
Mona Ataya, founder and CEO of Mumz-
world, pointed out that statistics indicate
that both regionally and globally, there is
still a prevalent glass ceiling for women. As
an entrepreneur, in the early days of build-
INCLUSIVE GROWTH
ing Mumzworld, Ataya says that they set
out to attract women leaders, hiring them
for roles like head of technology, head of
inbound logistics, etc. “Women support-
ing women has been our approach and
our particular strategy, and it has led us
to where we are today,” she said. Though
Insights from the latest installment of there are limitations to this approach, and
while and it has proven to be more difficult
Entrepreneur Middle East Round Table, and time-consuming, Ataya noted that
she “set out with the mindset that you are
presented by du b y PA M E L L A D E L E O N only as good as the effort you put out, and
that mindset has kind of blinded me to the
limitations.” >>>
M
oderated by Entrepreneur Management, ICT, du; Noora Al Mansoori,
Middle East Editor in Chief Director Corporate Communications, du;
Aby Sam Thomas, the dis- Rana Hajr, Head of Consumer Services
cussion welcomed insights Governance & Planning, du; Aisha Rawert,
from Dr. Alia Al Serkal, Vice Director - Organization, Capabilities and
President, People Learning and Growth, Performance, du; Dr. Raffaella Bianchi,
du; Callie Dickens, founder and CEO, Sym- Head of Consumer Experience, du; and
metry; Seza Vaziri, GE’s Women’s Network Mona Gulaid, Senior Manager Enterprise
Leader for MENAT, and founder and CEO Process Management, du.
of Kandoo; Meher Mirchandani, Direc- Mona Ataya, founder and CEO, Mumzworld
tor, Manrre REIT; Mona Ataya, founder Here are few vital points that were dis-
and CEO, Mumzworld; Kindah Sais, cussed on how entities in the Middle East,
Global Equity, Diversity and Inclusion whether from the corporate or the startup “WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN
Leader for Middle East, Boeing; Mansoor world, can put in place initiatives and HAS BEEN OUR APPROACH AND OUR
Habib, Head of Happiness & Tolerance, practices to enable a more equitable play- PARTICULAR STRATEGY, AND IT HAS
du; Jennifer Gonzalez, Manager - Partner ing field for women in the workplace. LED US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.”
28 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / February 2020INCLUSIVE GROWTH| ENTREPRENEUR MIDDLE EAST ROUND TABLE PRESENTED BY DU
1 2 3 4
5
6
7
1. Mona Gulaid, Senior Manager, Enterprise Process Management, du 7. Speakers at the Entrepreneur Middle East round table presented by du. Left to right: Meher
2. Jennifer Gonzalez, Manager - Partner Managaement, ICT, du Mirchandani, Director, Manrre REIT; Rana Hajr, Head of Consumer Services Governance &
3. Kindah Sais, Global Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Leader for Middle Planning, du; Aby Sam Thomas, Editor in Chief, Entrepreneur Middle East, Dr. Mansoor Habib,
East, Boeing Head of Happiness and Tolerance, du; Dr. Raffaella Bianchi, Head of Consumer Experience,
4. Rana Hajr, Head of Consumer Services Governance & Planning, du du; Aisha Rawert, Director - Organization, Capabilities & Performance, du; Kindah Sais, Global
5. Noora Al Mansoori, Director, Corporate Communications, du Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Leader for Middle East, Boeing; Mona Gulaid, Senior Manager,
6. Left to right: Dr. Raffaella Bianchi, Head of Consumer Experience, du; Enterprise Process Management, du; Dr. Alia Al Serkal, Vice President, People Learning and
Aisha Rawert, Director - Organization, Capabilities & Performance, du Growth, du; Callie Dickens, founder and CEO, Symmetry; Seza Vaziri, founder and CEO, Kandoo
February 2020 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / 29presented by
ROUND TABLE
2. Pay it forward (always) Callie Dickens, 5. Normalize flexible roles in
Seza Vaziri, GE’s Women’s Network founder and CEO, relationships
Leader for MENAT, and founder and CEO Symmetry On a cultural level, Meher Mirchan-
of Kandoo, recalled how when she first dani, Director, Manrre REIT, explains
started her career, it was a common sight that it’s often imposed on women to
to be the only woman in a room. However, take on the responsibility when it
she thought herself to be lucky in this re- comes to taking care of their children,
gard, as she had the privilege to have been and sometimes even their parents and
able to work with companies that strived in-laws. This can be changed, she said,
to be inclusive. “My experience actually if we, as a community, make it normal
made me become a person to help others, for partners in a relationship to share
because I know that’s not the reality,” duties and tasks. “The education needs
Vaziri said. She went on to point out how to be given that we’re in it together,”
for certain industries, such as the energy, Mirchandani said. “The more men see
or oil and gas sector, it’s essential to be a “IT’S AN EYEOPENER FOR US, other men understanding and respect-
catalyst for growth in everyday situa- [SHOWING US THAT] WE DO HAVE ing their partners, whether that’s her
tions, be it through including women to AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE, working, studying, or pursuing her
vital conversations, and giving them a fair AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.” goals, I think, that’s when the differ-
chance at promotions and climbing up ence will come.”
the career ladder.
we’re now able to change that through
data,” Dickens said. Dr. Raffaella Bianchi,
Head of Consumer Experience, du, agreed STRONGER TOGETHER
with Dickens, noting the significance of A list of all of the participants in this
research data to showcase the existing edition of the Entrepreneur Middle East
gender gap in companies by highlighting Round Table presented by du
the stark reality. “It’s an eyeopener for
us, [showing us that] we do have an op- Dr. Alia Al Serkal Vice President,
portunity to improve, and we need to do People Learning and Growth, du
something.” Callie Dickens Founder and CEO,
Symmetry
Meher Mirchandani, Director, Manrre REIT 4. Ensure growth for everyone Seza Vaziri GE’s Women’s Network
Kindah Sais, Global Equity, Diversity and Leader for MENAT, and founder and
Inclusion Leader for Middle East, Boeing, CEO of Kandoo
“THE MORE MEN SEE OTHER MEN stressed on the importance of inclusiv- Meher Mirchandani Director, Manrre
UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECTING ity, not just for women, but for men and REIT
THEIR PARTNERS, WHETHER THAT’S other minorities as well, such as people Mona Ataya Founder and CEO,
HER WORKING, STUDYING, OR with disabilities, women of color, etc., Mumzworld
PURSUING HER GOALS, I THINK, especially when you consider your com- Kindah Sais Global Equity, Diversity
THAT’S WHEN THE DIFFERENCE pany’s target market. “We [need] to have and Inclusion Leader for Middle East,
WILL COME.” employees reflect the diversity of our Boeing
customers, so we can know how to target Dr. Mansoor Habib Head of
them,” Sais said. “[As a company], we Happiness and Tolerance, du
3. Use data to drive decisions need to get to the whole population, so, Jennifer Gonzalez Manager - Partner
Callie Dickens, founder and CEO, Sym- we say it’s the role of men to champion Management, ICT, du
metry, said that just because the end goal women and every minority in the com- Noora Al Mansoori Director,
is equality, that doesn’t necessarily mean pany, and vice versa… We try to push for Corporate Communications, du
treating everybody equally, because every an inclusive culture, rather than focusing Rana Hajr Head of Consumer
person would have their own set of ad- only on one segment or minority.” Dr. Alia Services Governance and Planning,
vantages and shortcomings. The process Al Serkal, Vice President, People Learning du
should thus instead be about ensuring and Growth, du, added, “Not every man is Aisha Rawert Director - Organization,
that every person has access to all of a family man or father, not every woman Capabilities, and Performance, du
the opportunities, which can be evalu- is a mother. At the end of the day, it’s Dr. Raffaella Bianchi Head of
ated with previous research and data. about equality, making sure everyone has Consumer Experience, du
“Through understanding that histori- equal opportunities, regardless of their Mona Gulaid Senior Manager,
cally women have been at a disadvantage, background.” Enterprise Process Management, du
30 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / February 2020ADVERTORIAL
We have announced last year a strategic
transaction in Egypt with over 6 new
hotels under construction which will
translate Radisson Hotel Group into a
leadership position in Cairo with over 5
hotels in the capital and another 4 hotels
between Alexandria and the Red Sea
totalling over 9 hotels and 3,000 rooms
across the country under development
and in operation.
Egypt is in full recovery and we expect
to re-enter in key leisure destinations as
well as consolidate our presence with
our current portfolio under construction.
We have also allocated a dedicated
Ramsay Rankoussi, resource to support our expansion plans
Vice President, Business Development - in the country as we witness positive
Middle East, North Africa,
and Turkey, Radisson Hotel Group
rebound on the leisure side.
How much of an increase can we
expect to see in terms of Radisson’s
presence in the Egyptian market this
year? Please take us through the new
openings that are being planned, and
how much of your strategy in Egypt
also involves the conversion of already
Accelerating growth
existing hotels.
RR: Radisson Hotel Group currently oper-
ates 3 hotels, all under Radisson BLU. We
have one hotel in Cairo, one hotel in Al-
Egypt figures prominently in Radisson Hotel Group’s plans exandria and one hotel in El Qseir on the
Red Sea. We expect to open during 2020
to expand in the MENA our first serviced apartments offering in
W
the Capital along with the introduction
ith over 90 hotels in With the Group expecting to have more of the first branded Radisson hotel. Both
operation or under than 100 properties in the region to its properties will represent a combined
construction for name in 2020, Rankoussi reveals that additional 300 rooms which will further
the Middle East and the enterprise aims to have over 150 translate our strategy in creating city
North Africa, the hotels in the MENA by 2024, and a key scale and offer clustering efficiencies.
Radisson Hotel Group market it’s aiming to capitalize on as part
has managed to make its presence felt of this strategy is Egypt. Excerpts from By 2022, we expect to launch our first
in the region by demonstrating year-on- an interview with Rankoussi: Radisson Collection in Cairo but also
year growth in market share and profit- enter new leisure destinations such as
ability, despite the recent difficult market Egypt has figured prominently in Ain Sokhna or Makadi Bay.
conditions. “We have accelerated our Radisson’s plans for the future- can As the country witnesses positive return
critical mass strategy in key markets you talk a little bit more about this, of key leisure markets especially from
across the region, especially in key and your plan for the country in 2020? Europe, we expect to indeed foresee
capital cities in which we operate,” says What’s the current market situation, conversion opportunities from existing
Ramsay Rankoussi, Vice President, Busi- and how do you think this will change in hotels looking at joining our systems and
ness Development – Middle East, North the months and years to come? capitalize on our distribution and global
Africa, and Turkey, Radisson Hotel Group. presence. Radisson BLU is the largest
“The aim is to translate our presence Ramsay Rankoussi (RR): As we start upper upscale brand in Europe and has
into operational efficiencies through 2020, our focus remains in key markets therefore a lot of recognition for the
clustering opportunities and economies which have demonstrated potential for feeder markets of many Egyptian coastal
of scale. Our growth journey is inter- further growth or have now shown posi- destinations where we can add value
linked with that critical mass strategy.” tive rebounds and signs of recovery. such as Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada.
32 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / February 2020ADVERTORIAL
Lastly, what do you think are the key We have recognized the diversity of the
factors that will lead to Radisson’s clientele such as the recent increase of
success in the Egyptian market? Chinese travelers visiting the country
From a business point of view, how do and we have been able to accommodate
you think Radisson differentiates itself not only the usual service true to our
from its competitors when it comes brands but also to welcome them and
to servicing its end customers and ensure we can provide every guest with
owners? their local habits from food to native
language, creating memorable moments
RR: Egypt is truly a unique country which and unique experiences.
has probably one of the biggest poten-
tial, but which also requires continuous More and more relevant to our invest-
improvement through public invest- ment partners we have reviewed our
ments into infrastructure and education. brand offering and have created a clean
The nation hosts one of the largest and and simple brand architecture from
most important civilization with so many economy to luxury, and from resorts
cultural sites and museums to visit. It to business hotels while also offering have also considerably reduced the
offers beautiful resort locations with a serviced apartments solutions. Our tech- cost of development of each brand,
rare diversity of marine life making it a nical team has produced comprehensive making us one of the most competitive
hotspot for divers while the desert pro- brand guidelines allowing us to further companies with relevant resources
vides adventurous opportunities from accelerate the speed of construction, adding value to our investors.
camping to hiking. minimize overall time to build but we radissonhotelgroup.com
February 2020 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / 33You can also read
